Guard-rail



(No Model.)

G; NBVENS.

GUARD RAIL.

Patented Apr. 3, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

GEORGE NEVENS, OF BRUNSWICK, MAINE.

GUARD-RAIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,587, dated April 3,1888.

Application filed January 12. 1888. Serial No. 260,528. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE NEvENs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brunswick, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Guard-Rails for Frogs, Switches, 820.; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descripti on of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to guard-rails to be used on railway-tracks at frogs, switches, bridges, and the like. The guard-rail hitherto in use has consisted of a slightly-curved rail spiked to the ties on the inside of the main rail, its ends being more distant therefrom than its central portion. The flanges of the wheels striking continually against the convex portion of the upper flange of the guard-rail had a constant tendency to roll the rail inward toward the center of the track, the height of the rail furnishing aleverage whereby the spikes were loosened and pulled out. For this reason it has always been exceedingly difficult to keep guard-rails spiked in place, and constant care has been necessary to prevent the spikes from pulling out and the rail from being displaced, thus resulting in great annoyance and danger. This has been particularly true in the matter of guardrails for frogs where the flange of the wheel comes in contact with the guard-rail at nearly every passage of a train. Another difificulty with the old guard-rails has been that, being secured by spikes to every tie, they have had no elasticity, and have consequently caused much roughness in the running of trains over frogs, switches, the.

My invention consists of a guard-rail having the web and the upper flange removed from its ends and the lower flange turned at right angles and formed to be hooked over or otherwise secured to the lower flange of the main rail.

It further consists of the combination, with the above, of a link adapted to clasp the lower flanges of both rails at intermediate points.

I illustrate my invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan of a railwayfrog and its guard-rail. Fig. 2 shows a section through aim of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows a section through 51; y of Fig. 1.

A. is the frog, and B the opposite main rail.

D shows my improved guard-rail. The web and upper flange are removed for a short distance from each end, and the lower flange is bent horizontally at right angles, or nearly so, and forms an offset, D, the end of which offset is turned up at D" to form a hook. As thus formed the ends D" are hooked over the outer edge of the lower flange of the main rail, the offset passing below the main rail.

The guard rail is steadied in place by spikes. It will be seen that by this construction the rail is efiectually prevented from rolling inward under the pressure of the wheels upon its upper flange, and it is impossible for it to work out of place without actually break ing.

When the flanges of the wheel strike the guard-rail, the latter yields slightly, owing to its elasticity, thus making the motion of the car over the frog much more easy than it otherwise would be.

In most cases I prefer to re enforce my device by one or more links, 0, which are clasped over the lower flanges of the guardrail and the main rail intermediate between the two ends of the former. When the guardrail is long, a number of these links will be necessary.

I do not wish to limit myself to an offset bent at right angles, or nearly so; but I consider this the most simple and preferable construction. The offset could be bent to make any angle with the guard-rail.

' I claim- 1. A guardrail having the lower flange at each end extended and bent horizontally outward and adapted to be secured to the lower flange of the main rail, substantially as shown.

2. A guard-rail having its lower flange at each end extended and bent horizontally outward and adapted to be hooked over the outer edge of the lower flange of the main rail, sub- In testimony whereof I afflx my signature in stantially as shown. 1 presence of two witnesses.

3. A guardrail having the lower flange at each end extended and bent horizontally out- GEORGE NEVENS. ward and connected with the main rail, in combination with a link for clasping the lower Vitnesses: flanges of the main and guard rails, substan- S. W. BATES, tially as shown. R. A. DAVIS. 

